The problem has been put down to a DNS snafu, first noticed on Google and Speakeasy's DNS servers. It is thought that bad DNS records may have propagated onto the big boys' systems, but the source of the dodgy entries is currently unknown.

On Twitter, some fanbois said they were unable to access Apple's System Status page, which give live updates on the current state of Cupertino's networks.

The problem started at about 23:00 GMT yesterday and lasted about half an hour before fruity engineers stepped in to save the day. ®